It’s been three years since Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom announced that they were ending their marriage, and now Kerr is talking about the mental toll the experience took on her. In a new interview, Kerr says she "fell into a really bad depression" after her breakup.

Kerr tells Elle Canada that the depression caught her off guard because she hadn't experienced anything like it before. "I never understood the depth of that feeling or the reality of that because I was naturally a very happy person," she said.

Her situation isn’t uncommon—clinical psychologist John Mayer, Ph.D., author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life, tells SELF that regularly happy people can be hit by depression just as much as those who aren’t as sunny on a regular basis.

But happy people may be hit harder by depression brought on by tragedy than their less happy counterparts. “There is a shock value to it, and because it is unfamiliar or unknown to the person, it brings anxiety with it," Mayer says.

Licensed clinical psychologist Alicia H. Clark, Psy.D., tells SELF that expectations and life experience can play a role here. “For many, the experience of devastation and tragic loss isn't at all familiar, and these people can be taken more aback by the experience without coping skills to lean on,” she says. “This is not to say that having a lifetime of loss and depression is a good thing, only that such an experience can facilitate coping skills that can be drawn on when needed.”

When otherwise happy people are forced to confront a tragedy, they can be “confused and disoriented by depression, and it hits hard,” Mayer says. Many people experiencing sadness, grief, or depression benefit from talking to a professional and potentially getting on medication to help improve their mental health. In Kerr's case, she said she found her way out of depression by learning that "every thought you have affects your reality, and only you have control of your mind."

In addition, she started practicing meditation twice a day, doing regular yoga, and focusing on healthy eating. “And also, when I wake up and when I go to bed, I have that attitude of gratitude and I say, ‘Thank you for this beautiful day, for this roof over my head, for the fact that I have my health and my son has his health, and thank you for our family,’” she said.

Clark says that while it doesn't work for everyone, Kerr’s method of dealing with her feelings—understanding that she has control over her own thoughts—can be a powerful one. If you're dealing with sadness based on a situation (instead of the kind of depression that's due to brain chemistry), being aware of thoughts that drive negative feelings can allow you to change those thoughts for the better, she explains. For example, instead of thinking you’ll never be happy again, try to remember that sadness doesn't define you and that you’ll work to heal and feel whole again.

If you find that you need more help coping, Mayer says it can be helpful to speak with a professional therapist or psychologist. He also advises only taking medication if your doctor recommends it instead of self-medicating in various ways. Taking medication without professional guidance can prevent the development of healthy coping mechanisms, he explains.

No matter your usual disposition or what caused your sadness or depression, treatment may help. Although reaching out for help can be hard, it's also often worth it.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health disorder, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website for valuable resources to find help and support, or call the toll-free helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).